1. Technical Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an artificial bone forming method by a powder lamination method.
2. Description of the Related Art
Rapid prototyping is called a lamination forming method which laminates a sectional shape of an object to create a three-dimensional object. A lamination method (powder fixing method) which is a kind of rapid prototyping and uses powder as materials is disclosed or filed (not laid-open) in each of Nonpatent Documents 1, 2 and Patent Documents 1 to 5.
Further, means for artificially forming eyeballs, teeth, bones and the like which constitute a living organism by using the powder lamination method are disclosed or filed (not laid-open) in Patent Documents 6 to 9.
“Solid color copying and method” (not laid-open) of the Patent Document 6 includes a sample section imaging step (A) of sequentially extruding a sample in a predetermined direction to cut it, thereby imaging a two-dimensional image of a cut section, a data processing step (B) of calculating a three-dimensional internal structure of the sample from the two-dimensional image to convert it into data which can be subjected to color rapid prototyping, and a solid color model building step (C) of building a solid color model by using a color rapid prototyping device.
“Mass production of dental restoration by solid free-form fabrication methods” of the Patent Document 7 includes (a) forming a layer of a ceramic or composite material, (b) adding a binder to the layer, (c) repeating (a) and (b) many times to form a number of interconnected layers into a shape of a tooth prosthesis, and (d) reinforcing the formed material to fabricate a tooth prosthesis.
“Mass production of shells and models for dental restoration produced by solid free-form fabrication methods” of the Patent Document 8 includes (a) preparing a shell shape of a tooth prosthesis by using digital data, (b) forming a layer of a polymer material, and (c) repeating (b) many times to form a number of interconnected layers into a shell shape based on the digital data.
“Artificial bone forming method” of the Patent Document 9 includes (a) a step for transporting a powder material for a living organism and a liquid material through different flow paths to the vicinity of a nozzle tip of a jetting device, (b) a step for jetting a mixture of the living organism powder material and the liquid material from a nozzle of the jetting device to a solid surface, and depositing the mixture of the living organism powder material and the liquid material on the solid surface to form a layer, and (c) a step for further jetting the mixture of the living organism powder material and the liquid material to the layer to repeat lamination of deposition surfaces of the mixture, thereby stacking a plurality of layers to form a bone three-dimensional structure into a solid shape.
Nonpatent Document 1: pp. 63 to 65, “Fabrication of multicolor model by color RP machine” by Yamazawa, Anzai and et al., 19th Rapid Prototyping Symposium, 2000
Nonpatent Document 2: “Substantiation of molecular structure by lamination forming method” by Yamazawa, Anzai and et al.
Patent Document 1: Three-dimensional printing techniques”, specification of U.S. Pat. No. 5,204,055
Patent Document 2: “Method of three dimensional printing”, specification of U.S. Pat. No. 5,902,411
Patent Document 3: “Method and apparatus for prototyping a three dimensional object”, specification of U.S. Pat. No. 6,375,874
Patent Document 4: “Three-dimensional shape forming method by powder lamination method”, JP A 9-324203
Patent Document 5: “Lamination forming method of functional material” not laid-open, specification of JP A 2002-205825
Patent Document 6: “Solid color copying method and device” not laid-open, specification of JP A 2002-226859
Patent Document 7: “Mass production of dental restoration by solid free-form fabrication methods”, specification of U.S. Pat. No. 6,322,728
Patent Document 8: “Mass production of shells and models for dental restoration produced by solid free-form fabrication methods”, specification of U.S. Patent No. 20020064745
Patent Document 9: “Artificial bone forming method” not laid-open, specification of JP A 2002-377836
Conventionally, an artificial bone has been made of a metallic material such as stainless or titanium alloy, abrasion-resistant plastic, or the like, and used for a bone replacement technology. Such an artificial bone acts for a dysfunctional joint. However, the metallic material or the abrasion-resistant plastic has had a problem that long-time use is impossible because of a change with time such as abrasion, corrosion or swelling.
Recently, on the other hand, it has been made possible to form an artificial bone similar in shape to a target bone by putting ceramics in a mold to burn it or shaving it off from a burned block. In the case of such an artificial bone, however, its appearance structure alone is similar, and there remains a problem regarding biocompatibility or absorption substitution while no change with time such as abrasion, corrosion, or swelling occurs.